Doing laundry seems like a basic chore, right? You toss in clothes, then when the timer goes off, you switch the load into the dryer. Set that timer, and you’re good to go.
However, what if we told you that most homeowners are doing laundry all wrong? According to Procter & Gamble, Co., 600 loads of laundry are done per household every year. That’s a lot of room for error. From too many laundry products to unbuttoning collared shirts, Warner Service is counting down the biggest mistakes made in the laundry room:
You're rubbing stains furiously. Many homeowners believe that if they rub in the stain remover that the treatment will get deeper into the fabric. However, most of the time, this makes everything worse.
Solution: Treat the stain as soon as possible, and be methodical with your laundry products. Dab the stain with treatment, then check out our Stain Removal Guide to easily get rid of the most common culprits like pen ink and chocolate.
You toss in socks without a care. Ever wonder why socks lose their mate so often? It’s because homeowners throw the pair in the washing machine willy-nilly.
Solution: Place socks in the washer tub first, so they’re less likely to attach themselves to other garments and go missing.
You're using too much detergent. Too much detergent can cause bacteria buildup in collars, pockets, and other tight areas because these areas don’t always rinse perfectly clean.
Solution: Half the amount of hypoallergenic laundry detergent, then gradually increase it if you have a larger laundry load or dirtier clothes. However, if you have hard water, you may need more soap, so check the bottle’s recommendation.
You button up shirts all the way. This can stress buttons and buttonholes, leading to premature poppage.
Solution: Unbutton your shirts, so they can easily flow through a washing cycle.
You're filling the washing machine incorrectly. Most people fill a top-loading washing machine with water, then add soap and clothes respectively. While this protocol is meant to prevent residue on the fabrics and machine, it doesn’t get your clothes the cleanest and brightest.
Solution: Instead, put in your clothes first, then add water and soap (and skip the bleach). This'll distribute laundry detergent best, giving you fresh and clean clothes.
You're washing a “dry-clean only” item. While this isn’t the end of the world, washing machines don’t offer the proper technique that dry cleaners do. To see if you can toss a garment into the next load, use Real Simple’s test:
- Check for colorfastness by moistening a cotton swab with detergent. Dab it on a hidden seam to see if any dye comes off. If not, dunk the garment in soapy water once or twice, then rinse and immediately roll in a towel to extract moisture.
Solution: Dry cleaning isn’t the most environmentally friendly practice. To get green laundry, it’s best to dry clean only when you absolutely have to for fabrics like suede, leather and silk as well as anything with embellishments and structured pieces like blazers and suits.
You don’t zip zippers before washing. Metal teeth can snag on delicate and woven fabrics in the same load, causing snags and rips.
Solution: Zip zippers on jeans and jackets all the way to the top before tossing in the laundry machine.
You don’t clean the dryer. Even if you clean the lint filter after every load, excess lint can build up over time and cause a fire hazard.
Solution: If the dryer takes more than an hour to finish a load, it’s clogged. To fix this, detach the dryer hose, and snake a long brush through to push out lint. Real Simple also suggests annually scrubbing the lint filter with a small toothbrush and detergent. Rinse, then air-dry completely.
You don't clean the washing machine. If you don’t clean the washer, allergens and pathogens from dirty clothes can build up in the tub and on the door. This can lead to mold and mildew growth as well as bad odors.
Solution: Download Warner Service’s DIY Laundry Cleaning Checklist to minimize the chances of these potential problems.
